NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Carmen (opera)

Carmen is a French opera by Georges Bizet. The libretto was written by Meilhac and Halévy, based on the story of the same title by Prosper Mérimée. Image File history File links 1875_Carmen_poster. ... Image File history File links 1875_Carmen_poster. ... The Teatro alla Scala in Milan is one of the worlds most famous opera houses. ... Georges Bizet Georges Bizet (October 25, 1838 â€“ June 3, 1875) was a French composer and pianist of the romantic era. ... A libretto is the complete body of words used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, sacred or secular oratorio and cantata, musical, and ballet. ... Henri Meilhac (February 21, 1831 - 1897), French dramatist, was born in Paris. ... Ludovic HalÃ©vy (January 1, 1834 - May 8, 1908), French author, was born in Paris. ... Cover incorporating part of Merimees own watercolor Carmen Carmen is a novella by Prosper MÃ©rimÃ©e written and first published in 1845. ... Prosper MÃ©rimÃ©e Prosper MÃ©rimÃ©e (September 28, 1803â€“September 23, 1870) was a French dramatist, historian, archaeologist, and short story writer. ...

The opera was premiered at the Opéra Comique of Paris on March 3, 1875. For a year after its premiere, it was considered a failure, denounced by critics as "immoral" and "superficial". Today, it is one of the world's most popular operas^[1]. In fact, Opera America claims it to be the fourth most-performed opera in North America. OpÃ©ra comique is a French style of opera that is a partial counterpart to the Italian opera buffa. ... Part of the Paris area skyline with from left to right: Montparnasse Tower, Eiffel Tower, and La DÃ©fense. ... March 3 is the 62nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (63rd in leap years). ... 1875 (MDCCCLXXV) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Opera America, officially OPERA America, is a service organization in North America promoting the creation, presentation, and enjoyment of opera. ...

The story concerns the eponymous Carmen, a beautiful gypsy with a fiery temper. Not careful with her love, she is responsible for the downfall of many men. She woos the corporal Don José, leading him to mutiny against his superior. His infatuation causes him to join a band of smugglers, of which Carmen is a member. He is happy with Carmen for a brief period, but is driven to madness when she turns from him to the bullfighter Escamillo. This article is becoming very long. ... Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries, police forces or other uniformed organizations around the world. ... Mutiny is the crime of conspiring to disobey an order that a group of similarly-situated individuals (typically members of the military; or the crew of any ship, even if they are civilians) is legally obliged to obey. ...

Several well-known pieces from this opera have taken on a life separate to the work: the Prélude (overture), the Toréador Song, and the Habanera. The Habanera is an aria from the opera Carmen by Georges Bizet. ...

History

Du Locle, the artistic director of the Opéra-Comique commissioned Bizet to write an opera based on Mérimée's novel in early 1873 to be premiered at the end of the year. However, difficulty in finding a leading lady caused rehearsals not to begin until August 1874. Bizet bought a house at Bougival on the Seine, where he finished the piano score in the summer of 1874, and took a further two months to complete a full orchestration^[2]. The difficulty in casting the title role arose from the scandal that erupted when the libretto was published. The artistic community almost universally condemned the story, denouncing it as "immoral". The scandal led at least one famous (unnamed) singer to refuse the role. However, the famous mezzo-soprano Galli-Marié accepted it in December without having seen the score. During rehearsals, Du Locle's assistant De Leuven voiced his discontent about the opera's plot, and pressured Bizet and the librettists to alter the tragic ending. De Leuven felt that families would not dare to go to see such a "debauched" opera. The Comique had a reputation as a family-friendly theatre, with many boxes used by parents to interview prospective sons-in-law. The librettists agreed to change the ending, but Bizet refused, which led directly to De Leuven's resignation from the production in early 1874. Full rehearsals finally began in October, and continued for an unexpected five months. The Comique's orchestra declared the score unplayable, and the cast were having difficulty following Bizet's directions. However, the greatest opposition came from Du Locle^[3], who liked Bizet personally, but hated the opera. At this stage, the Comique was in dire financial straits, leading Du Locle to believe the opera would topple the ailing company, which had failed to produce a true success since Gounod's Faust. The librettists, for whom Carmen was merely a sideshow, secretly tried to induce the singers to over-dramatise in order to lessen the impact of the work. However, much to Bizet's delight, the final rehearsals seemed to convince the majority of the company of the genius of the opera. Image File history File links Galli-Marie_Carmen_Photo. ... Image File history File links Galli-Marie_Carmen_Photo. ... Galli-MariÃ© in her greatest rÃ´le, as Bizets Carmen CÃ©lestine MariÃ© (b. ... OpÃ©ra comique is a French style of opera that is a partial counterpart to the Italian opera buffa. ... 1873 (MDCCCLXXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1874 (MDCCCLXXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Bougival is a city of 8500 in the country of France, region of Ile de France, departement of Yvelines. ... The Seine (pronounced in French) is a major river of north-western France, and one of its commercial waterways. ... A scandal is a widely publicized incident involving allegations of wrong-doing, disgrace, or moral outrage. ... A mezzo-soprano (meaning medium soprano in Italian) is a female singer with a range usually extending from the A below middle C to the F an eleventh above middle C. Mezzo-sopranos generally have a darker (or lower) vocal tone than sopranos, and their vocal range is between that... Galli-MariÃ© in her greatest rÃ´le, as Bizets Carmen CÃ©lestine MariÃ© (b. ... Categories: Stub | 1818 births | 1893 deaths | Opera composers | Romantic composers | French musicians ... Faust, Charles Gounods operatic retelling of the Faust legend, debuted at the ThÃ©atre-Lyrique on 19 March 1859. ...

The first performance took place on March 3, 1875 the same day Bizet was presented with the Légion d'honneur. The four principals were: March 3 is the 62nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (63rd in leap years). ... Chiang Kai-sheks LÃ©gion dhonneur. ...

According to Halévy's diary, the premiere did not go well. Act I was fairly well received and the entr'acte to Act II was applauded. However, with the exception of Micaëla's aria in Act III, the Acts II, III and IV were greeted with deafening silence. The critics were scathing, claiming that the libretto was inappropriate for the Comique. Bizet was also condemned by the musical community for following Wagner in making the orchestra more important than the human voices^[4]. However, a few critics, such as the poet Théodore de Banville, praised the work for its innovation. Banville lauded the librettists for writing characters that were more realistic than those normally acted at the Comique. Nevertheless, the negative reviews caused the opera to only have 48 performances in its first year. Towards the end of its run at the Comique, the management was selling tickets wholesale in a vain attempt to make a profit. Afterwards, the principals, particularly Galli-Marié, became unemployable. Galli-MariÃ© in her greatest rÃ´le, as Bizets Carmen CÃ©lestine MariÃ© (b. ... Paul LhÃ©rie (b. ... Jacuqes-Joseph-AndrÃ© Bouhy (b. ... Entracte is French for between the acts. It can have the meaning of a pause between two parts of a stage production, synonym to intermission, but is more often used to indicate that part of a theatre production that is performed between acts as an intermezzo or interlude. ... Richard Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner (May 22, 1813 â€“ February 13, 1883) was an influential German composer, conductor, music theorist, and essayist, primarily known for his operas (or music dramas as he later came to call them). ... Theodore Faullain de Banville (March 14, 1823 â€“ March 15, 1891) was a French poet and writer. ...

Bizet did not live to see the success of his opera: he died On June 3, just after the thirtieth performance. Over the following century it has become a staple of the standard operatic repertoire. Although the title role was written for a Mezzo-soprano, many famous sopranos^[5] have performed and recorded the role, causing much debate over the best vocal type for the role. Not only must the singer have a great range, capable of frequently going to the bottom of her voice range, but also exhibit superior dramatic skills in order to portray Carmen's complex character, and beyond all that be an extremely good dancer. June 3 is the 154th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (155th in leap years), with 211 days remaining. ... A mezzo-soprano (meaning medium soprano in Italian) is a female singer with a range usually extending from the A below middle C to the F an eleventh above middle C. Mezzo-sopranos generally have a darker (or lower) vocal tone than sopranos, and their vocal range is between that... Look up Soprano in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Synopsis

Setting: Seville, Spain c. 1830 Image File history File links Act_IV_from_Carmen. ... Image File history File links Act_IV_from_Carmen. ... The Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, seen from Lincoln Center Plaza A full house at the old Metropolitan Opera House, seen from the rear of the stage, at the Metropolitan Opera House for a concert by pianist JÃ³zef Hofmann, November 28, 1937. ... James Levine (born June 23, 1943, Cincinnati, Ohio) is an American orchestral conductor and pianist, most well known as the music director of the Metropolitan Opera in New York. ... Franco Zeffirelli (born Gianfranco Corsi on February 12, 1923), is an Italian film director. ... Seville (Spanish: Sevilla, see also different names) is the artistic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain, irrigated by the river Guadalquivir (, ). It is the capital of Andalusia and of the province of Sevilla. ...

Note: in the Oeser version, Acts III and IV are played as Act III scene i and Act III scene ii respectively

Act I

A beautiful square in Seville with a cigarette factory, a guard house, and a bridge. Morales and the soldiers are on guard, very bored ("Sur la place, Chacun passe"). Micaëla appears seeking José, her fiancé, but is accosted by the impudent soldiers who desire her company, causing her to run away . As José approaches with the new guard, he and the soldiers are imitated by the street-children ("Avec la garde montante"). The cigarette girls emerge from the factory, greeted by their men ("La cloche a sonné"). Carmen appears, and all the men ask her when she will love them ("Quand je vous aimerai?"). She replies that she loves the man that does not love her in the famous Habanera. ("L'amour est un oiseau rebelle").When asked to choose a lover, she throws a flower in front of José ("Carmen! sur tes pas, nous nous pressons tous!"). José is temporarily transfixed until Micaëla brings him a letter and kiss from his mother ("Parle-moi de ma mère!"). José longingly thinks of his home. As soon as she leaves, screams are heard from the factory and the women run out, singing chaotically ("Au secours! Au secours!"). Don José and his superior, Zuniga find that Carmen has been fighting with another woman, and slashed her face with a knife. Zuniga attempts to interrogate Carmen who impudently sings a folk song, ignoring him ("Tra la la"). Zuniga instructs José to arrest her, and escort her to the gaol. Carmen seduces José with a Seguidilla ("Près des remparts de Séville"), and convinces José to let her escape. José is arrested for letting Carmen escape.

Act II

Evening at Lillas Pastia's inn, frequented by smugglers. Carmen and her friends Frasquita and Mercedes sing and dance ("Les tringles des sistres tintaient" - Gypsy Song). Zuniga attempts to woo Carmen, but she can only think of José. The Matador Escamillo is greeted with great enthusiasm by the patrons ("Vivat, vivat le Toréro"). He sings the Toreador song ("Votre toast, je peux vous le rendre") and also attempts to woo Carmen. Carmen refuses him as well. The smugglers Dancairo and Remendado discuss plans with Carmen and her gypsy friends ("Nous avons en tête une affaire" - Quintet). Carmen refuses to accompany them, for she only can think of José. José arrives singing a folk song ("Halte là! Qui va là! Dragon d'Alcala!"), and he and Carmen are left alone. Carmen vexes him with stories of her dancing. She then dances for him alone ("Je vais danser en votre honneur...Lalala"), but is interrupted by the trumpets calling the soldiers to the barracks. Carmen's temper flares when José begins to leave, causing him to pledge his devotion to her in the Flower Song ("La fleur que tu m'avais jetée"). Carmen asks him to join the smugglers if he really loves her ("Non, tu ne m'aime pas"). He refuses and begins to leave when he is surprised by Zuniga. He draws his sword upon his superior officer, but the gypsies disarm both of them and take away Zuniga ("Mon cher monsieur"). José is forced to flee with Carmen ("La bas dans le montagne").

Act III

A rocky gorge, where the smugglers ply their trade. José arrives with the smugglers ("Écoute, écoute, compagnon"), but Carmen loves him no longer. Her inconstant heart now turns to Escamillo. Carmen, Frasquita and Mercedes read the cards ("Mêlons! Coupons!"). Frasquita and Mercedes foresee love and romance, wealth and luxury in their cards; but Carmen's cards foretell death for her and José ("En vain pour éviter les réponses amères"). The smugglers plan their actions ("Quant au douanier, c'est notre affaire"). Micaëla arrives with a guide seeking José ("Je dis, que rien ne m'épouvante"), and hides in the rocks when she hears a gunshot. Escamillo arrives and tells José that he is infatuated with Carmen and tells José the story of her affair with a soldier, not knowing that José is the soldier. A fight between José and Escamillo over Carmen is narrowly averted by the smugglers ("Holà, holà José"). Escamillo leaves, but invites Carmen and the smugglers to the bullfights. Micaëla emerges and tells José that his mother wishes to see him. At first he refuses to go ("Non, je ne partirai pas!"), until Micaëla tells him that his mother is dying. Vowing that he will return to Carmen, he leaves. As he is leaving, Escamillo is heard singing in the distance. Carmen rushes to the sound of his voice, but José bars her way.

Act IV

A square before the arena at Seville. The general populace prepare for the bull fight ("A deux cuartos!") (In the ballet version, "A deux cuatros" is "Dansez, dansez") and they see the cuadrilla arrive ("Les voici! voici la quadrille"). Carmen promises herself to Escamillo if he returns victorious ("Si tu m'aimes, Carmen"). Frasquita and Mercedes warn Carmen that José is in the crowd ("Carmen! Prends garde!), and that he intends to kill her. Before she can enter the arena she is confronted by the pale and despairing José ("C'est toi! C'est moi!"). For the last time he demands her love and fidelity. When she throws back the ring that he gave her ("Cette bague, autrefois), he stabs her to the heart ("Eh bien, damnée") and she dies at the moment that Escamillo triumphs in the arena. The spectators exit the arena and José, completely broken, confesses his action to all, exclaiming: "Ah! Carmen! ma Carmen adorée!". Bull ring (Plaza de Toros) in MÃ¡laga (Spain) Bullfighting or tauromachy (Spanish toreo, corrida de toros or tauromaquia; Portuguese tourada, corrida de touros or tauromaquia) is a tradition that involves, most of the time, professional performers (generally called in Spanish toreros or matadores and in Portuguese toureiros) who execute...

Dramatic elements

Carmen was extremely innovative in its drama: no longer was French Opera confined to one-dimensional comic characters. The two lead characters in the work are some of the most profound in all operatic literature. The descent of Don José from a faithful lover and soldier to an obsessed lunatic is wonderfully portrayed through both music and libretto. The music also ensures that Carmen does not become a destructive figure like Elektra or Lulu: she does not chase men, they run after her^[6]. Because Bizet shied away from the traditional image of an operatic femme-fatale, Carmen became a difficult character to understand (or portray on stage). She is fatalistic and hedonistic, living entirely in the present moment. Her beauty unintentionally entraps men, who are then led to their downfall by their own misguided ideas of love. Carmen's character is best illustrated in the card-playing scene, in which she accepts the premonition of death as unavoidable. José is ill-suited to Carmen's whims, desiring constancy in the form of fidelity: upon hearing that Carmen danced for the men in Act II, he becomes greatly distressed. The inconstancy of her character is anarchy to José, and being a soldier, he removes it. Elektra is a one-act opera by Richard Strauss, to a German-language libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal adapted from his drama of 1903â€”the first of many such collaborations between composer and librettist. ... Lulu is an opera by the composer Alban Berg. ... Mata Hari, exotic dancer and convicted spy, made her name synonymous with femme fatale during WWI. A femme fatale is a stock character, usually a villainous woman, who deceptively misleads and ensnares the hapless hero and/or other males in order to gain some end they would not freely help... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... Hedonism (Greek: hÄ“donÄ“ pleasure + â€“ism) describes any way of thinking that gives pleasure a central role. ...

Carmen and José have three duets, which represent three stages of their relationship. The first in Act I is the seduction, the second in Act II is the conflict, and the last in Act IV is the tragic resolution. Musically, the duets are not in the style of the traditional French or Italian duets, where two voices become one. They show the incompatibility of Carmen and José, as they almost never sing together.

The supporting characters, Micaëla and Escamillo, are not as developed as the two protagonists, and are used to reflect upon the leads. Micaëla represents José’s naïve past, whereas Escamillo represents Carmen's exciting future. Micaëla is from Gounod's lyric operas, whereas Escamillo is from the traditional opera buffa. Micaëla has a slight aria in Act III which shows her significance in the story is not great: she was created to be Carmen's opposite, but she also represents José's mother. Escamillo has the most well-known song in the score. Bizet knew that the song would be popular, but he secretly despised it, saying “They want their trash, and will get it”. Categories: Stub | 1818 births | 1893 deaths | Opera composers | Romantic composers | French musicians ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Comic opera. ...

Musical elements

When asked if he would visit Spain to research his score, Bizet replied "No, that would only confuse me." Bizet elegantly works elements of Spanish music into the score, though keeping the music obviously French. However, several pieces, especially the Seguidilla and the Gypsy Song make great use of the elements of flamenco music. Also, the Act IV entr'acte seems to be influenced by a Spanish song by Manuel Garcia, incorporating elements of gypsy music. Flamenco dancer BelÃ©n Maya, photograph taken by Gilles Larrain at his studio, 2001 Flamenco is one of the great European nonacademic musical forms. ... Entracte is French for between the acts. It can have the meaning of a pause between two parts of a stage production, synonym to intermission, but is more often used to indicate that part of a theatre production that is performed between acts as an intermezzo or interlude. ... Manuel Patricio Rodriguez Garcia (March 17, 1805 - July 1, 1906) was a singing and musical educator. ...

Bizet worked several popular Spanish songs directly into the score. These include El arreglito which became the habanera, and the folk-song Carmen impudently sings when interrogated by Zuniga; both written by Yradier^[7]. The habanera was written to replace an aria that Galli-Marié disliked, and Bizet supposedly wrote over ten revisions.^[3] SebastiÃ¡n de Iradier y Salaverri (Salberri) (1809-1865), Spanish composer, also known as SebastiÃ¡n Yradier. ... The Habanera is an aria from the opera Carmen by Georges Bizet. ...

Bizet uses a very slight leitmotif system, preferring to use new material for each scene. There are two motifs associated with Carmen. The first is Carmen Fate motif, and owes its augmented 2nds to Spanish music. It is ominously heard directly after the Prelude, and predetermines the ending of the opera. It is heard in this form when Carmen chooses José as her lover , at the beginning of the Flower Song, and during the opera’s final moments. It is also heard in a sped up form, first heard at the entrance of Carmen. This theme is more often heard in the strings, and is used when the slower version would stop the flow of the music. It is notably heard during the card playing scene (No.20). A leitmotif (also spelled leitmotiv) is a recurring musical theme, associated within a particular piece of music with a particular person, place or idea. ...

The other theme associated with Carmen represents her influence over José. It is heard after José is chosen as Carmen’s lover, and when Carmen is taken away by the police to José and Zuniga. This soaring theme is, like Carmen, both beautiful and tragic. In a sequence cut from the original edition, placed in the frenzied chorus of women in Act I, the two themes are played contrapuntally. Counterpoint is a broad organisational feature of much music, involving the simultaneous sounding of separate musical lines. ...

Revisions

Bizet’s original design of Carmen had dialogue in place of recitative. After Bizet's death, the musical community felt it would be more appreciated in the form of Grand Opera rather than opéra comique. Bizet’s friend Ernest Guiraud wrote recitatives for the Vienna premiere performance in 1875, that were used up until the 1960s. (Except at the Opéra-Comique, where the dialogue Carmen remained in reperatory into the 1950s.) They are today seen as damaging to the work as a whole. The recitatives destroyed Bizet’s careful pacing, and disrupted the process of characterization significantly. The recitatives do seem to be coming back into fashion in large theaters, like the Metropolitan, where spoken dialogue is difficult to project. Recitative, a form of composition often used in operas, oratorios, cantatas and similar works, is described as a melodic speech set to music, or a descriptive narrative song in which the music follows the words. ... Grand Opera is a style of opera mainly characterized by many features on a grandiose scale. ... Ernest Guiraud (June 26, 1837 â€“ May 6, 1892) was a French composer born in New Orleans, USA. He studied at the Paris Conservatoire, where he won the Grand Prix de Rome. ...

A new edition in 1964 edited by Fritz Oeser claimed to have restored Bizet’s original vision by including material previously cut from the premiere as well as restoring the dialogue. Unfortunately, Oeser did not realise that a great deal was cut by Bizet himself, and subsequently included several sections that were not required. He also made great changes to the stage directions and rewrote some of the libretto. Today, the only adequate score is a vocal score by Bizet himself, published in 1875. There is still no accurate full score, and each production is judged on the skills of the conductor in choosing a score. Fritz Oeser was a musicologist, most famous for preparing restored versions of Bizets Carmen in 1964 and Offenbachs Les contes dHoffmann in 1976. ...

Most recordings since the publication of Oeser juggle the Opéra-Comique, Oeser and Guiraud versions. Fruhbeck's 1970 version (pure Opéra-Comique) contains a pantomime scene with Moralés and chorus that was cut from the original production but remained in the score.

In 2003, a recording was made with Angela Gheorghiu and Roberto Alagna that features an earlier variant of Carmen's Habanera ("L'amour est un enfant boheme"), as well as the familiar one. 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Opera singer Angela Gheorghiu (born September 7, 1965) is one of the most famous contemporary sopranos. ... Roberto Alagna (born June 7, 1963) is French operatic tenor. ...

Characters

This article is becoming very long. ... A mezzo-soprano (meaning medium soprano in Italian) is a female singer with a range usually extending from the A below middle C to the F an eleventh above middle C. Mezzo-sopranos generally have a darker (or lower) vocal tone than sopranos, and their vocal range is between that... Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries, police forces or other uniformed organizations around the world. ... In music, a tenor is a male singer with a high voice (although not as high as the modern countertenor). ... Spanish toreo, corrida de toros or tauromaquia; Portuguese corrida de touros or tauromaquia) is a blood sport that involves, most of the times, professional performers (matadores) who execute various formal moves with the goal of appearing graceful and confident, while masterful over the bull itself; these maneuvers are performed at... A basso (or bass) is a male singer who sings in the lowest vocal range of the human voice. ... Baritone (French: baryton; German: Bariton; Italian: baritono) is most commonly the type of male voice that lies between bass and tenor. ... Look up Soprano in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Lieutenant is a military, paramilitary, fire service or police officer rank. ... A basso (or bass) is a male singer who sings in the lowest vocal range of the human voice. ... Baritone (French: baryton; German: Bariton; Italian: baritono) is most commonly the type of male voice that lies between bass and tenor. ... Look up Soprano in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... In music, a tenor is a male singer with a high voice (although not as high as the modern countertenor). ... Baritone (French: baryton; German: Bariton; Italian: baritono) is most commonly the type of male voice that lies between bass and tenor. ... In music, a tenor is a male singer with a high voice (although not as high as the modern countertenor). ... In music, a tenor is a male singer with a high voice (although not as high as the modern countertenor). ... Look up Soprano in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A mezzo-soprano (meaning medium soprano in Italian) is a female singer with a range usually extending from the A below middle C to the F an eleventh above middle C. Mezzo-sopranos generally have a darker (or lower) vocal tone than sopranos, and their vocal range is between that... In music, an alto or contralto is a singer with a vocal range somewhere between a tenor and a mezzo-soprano. ...

Arias, duets, choruses etc.

-1... Bull ring (Plaza de Toros) in MÃ¡laga (Spain) Bullfighting or tauromachy (Spanish toreo, corrida de toros or tauromaquia; Portuguese tourada, corrida de touros or tauromaquia) is a tradition that involves, most of the time, professional performers (generally called in Spanish toreros or matadores and in Portuguese toureiros) who execute...

Recordings

Image File history File links Placido_Domingo_Don_Jose. ... Image File history File links Placido_Domingo_Don_Jose. ... PlÃ¡cido Domingo PlÃ¡cido Domingo [1] (born January 21, 1941) [2] is a world-famous Spanish operatic tenor, well-known for his versatile, strong voice that is possessed of a ringing and clear tone throughout its range. ... 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Raoul Jobin (born Joseph RomÃ©o) (April 8, 1906 â€“ January 13, 1974) was a Canadian tenor, professor, administrator and senior civil servant. ... AndrÃ© Cluytens (March 26, 1905 - June 3, 1967) was a Belgian-born French conductor. ... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... Rise Stevens was the leading mezzo-soprano at New Yorks Metropolitan Opera for two decades Rise Stevens (born 1913, New York City) (first name properly spelled RisÃ« and pronounced REE-sah) was an American mezzo-soprano who captured a wide popular audience at the height of her career (1940... Jan Peerce (June 3, 1904 â€“ December 15, 1984) was an American tenor. ... This article contains information that has not been verified and thus might not be reliable. ... 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Catalan singer Victoria de los Ángeles (November 1, 1923 – January 15, 2005) was a well-known soprano whose career spanned the early 1940s to the mid 1970s. ... The Swedish tenor Nicolai Gedda (born July 11, 1925) is a famous opera singer and recitalist. ... Thomas Beecham (April 29, 1879 - March 8, 1961) was a British conductor. ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ... Maria Callas on book cover Maria Callas (Greek name: ÎœÎ±ÏÎ¯Î± ÎšÎ±Î»Î¿Î³ÎµÏÎ¿Ï€Î¿ÏÎ»Î¿Ï…) (December 2, 1923 â€“ September 16, 1977) was an American-born Greek soprano and perhaps the best-known opera singer of the post-World War II period. ... The Swedish tenor Nicolai Gedda (born July 11, 1925) is a famous opera singer and recitalist. ... Georges PrÃªtre (born August 14, 1924) is a French conductor. ... OpÃ©ra National de Paris is the leading opera company of France. ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ... Leontyne Price as Aida Permission of Metropolitan Opera Archives Mary Violet Leontyne Price (b. ... Franco Corelli. ... Herbert von Karajan (Salzburg April 5, 1908 Anif near Salzburg â€“ July 16, 1989) was a Greek-Austrian conductor. ... The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (in German: Wiener Philharmoniker) is the principal orchestra in Austria and one of the finest in the world. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ... Grace Bumbry The American opera singer Grace Bumbry (born 4 January 1937) was one of the leading mezzo-sopranos of her generation -- although often a controversial singer. ... Jon S. Vickers, CC , D.Mus. ... Rafael FrÃ¼hbeck de Burgos (born September 15, 1933 in Burgos) is a Spanish conductor. ... 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday. ... Marilyn Horne The American opera singer Marilyn Horne (born January 16, 1934) is a mezzo soprano who is particularly associated with the music of Rossini and Handel. ... James McCracken (December 16, 1926 – April 29, 1988) was an American tenor. ... Leonard Bernstein in 1971 Leonard Bernstein (August 25, 1918 â€“ October 14, 1990) was an American composer, pianist and conductor. ... The Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, seen from Lincoln Center Plaza A full house at the old Metropolitan Opera House, seen from the rear of the stage, at the Metropolitan Opera House for a concert by pianist JÃ³zef Hofmann, November 28, 1937. ... 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday. ... Tatiana Troyanos (September 12, 1938 â€“ August 21, 1993) was an American mezzo-soprano of Greek extraction. ... PlÃ¡cido Domingo PlÃ¡cido Domingo [1] (born January 21, 1941) [2] is a world-famous Spanish operatic tenor, well-known for his versatile, strong voice that is possessed of a ringing and clear tone throughout its range. ... Sir Georg Solti (October 21, 1912 - September 5, 1997) was a well-known orchestral and operatic conductor, who was still actively engaged in performing right up until his death. ... The London Philharmonic Orchestra (frequently abbreviated to LPO), based in London, is one of the major orchestras of the United Kingdom. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... Teresa Berganza The Spanish opera singer Teresa Berganza (born 16 March 1935) is a well-known mezzo-soprano most closely associated with the roles of Rossini, Mozart, and Bizet. ... PlÃ¡cido Domingo PlÃ¡cido Domingo [1] (born January 21, 1941) [2] is a world-famous Spanish operatic tenor, well-known for his versatile, strong voice that is possessed of a ringing and clear tone throughout its range. ... Claudio Abbado (born June 26, 1933) is a noted Italian conductor. ... The London Symphony Orchestra (frequently abbreviated to LSO) is one of the major orchestras of the United Kingdom. ... 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A film soundtrack is the music that is from or inspired by a feature film. ... Julia Migenes (born March 13, 1949) is an American soprano. ... PlÃ¡cido Domingo PlÃ¡cido Domingo [1] (born January 21, 1941) [2] is a world-famous Spanish operatic tenor, well-known for his versatile, strong voice that is possessed of a ringing and clear tone throughout its range. ... Lorin Varencove Maazel (born March 6, 1930) is a conductor, violinist and composer. ... The Orchestre National de France is a symphony orchestra run by Radio France. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Jessye Norman Jessye Norman (born September 15, 1945) is an American soprano opera singer. ... Neil Shicoff (born June 2, 1949) is an American opera singer known for his lyric tenor singing and his dramatic, emotional acting. ... Seiji Ozawa (å°æ¾¤å¾çˆ¾; Ozawa Seiji, born September 1, 1935) is a Japanese conductor. ... The Orchestre National de France is a symphony orchestra run by Radio France. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is becoming very long. ... Agnes Baltsa (AÎ³Î½Î® MÏ€Î¬Î»Ï„ÏƒÎ±) (born 19th November 1944 on Lefkada) is a leading Greek mezzo-soprano. ... JosÃ© Carreras The Catalan tenor Josep Carreras (born December 5, 1946) is a famous Spanish opera singer much admired for his Verdi and Puccini roles. ... James Levine (born June 23, 1943, Cincinnati, Ohio) is an American orchestral conductor and pianist, most well known as the music director of the Metropolitan Opera in New York. ... The Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, seen from Lincoln Center Plaza A full house at the old Metropolitan Opera House, seen from the rear of the stage, at the Metropolitan Opera House for a concert by pianist JÃ³zef Hofmann, November 28, 1937. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Opera singer Angela Gheorghiu (born September 7, 1965) is one of the most famous contemporary sopranos. ... Roberto Alagna (born June 7, 1963) is French operatic tenor. ... Michel Plasson (born 2 October 1933 in Paris, France) is a French conductor. ...

Adaptations

Fantasies

A number of classical composers have used themes from Carmen as the basis for works of their own. Some of these, such as Pablo de Sarasate's Carmen Fantasy (1883) for violin and orchestra, Franz Waxman's Carmen Fantasie for violin and orchestra and Vladimir Horowitz's Variations on a theme from Carmen for solo piano are virtuoso showpieces in the tradition of fantasias on operatic themes. Ferruccio Busoni wrote a Sonatina (No.6) for piano named Fantasia da camera super Carmen (1920), which uses themes from the opera. There are also two suites of music drawn directly from Bizet's opera, often recorded and performed in orchestral concerts. Pablo MartÃn MelitÃ³n de Sarasate y Navascues (March, 1844 - September 28, 1908) was a Spanish violinist and composer. ... Carmen Fantasy, Op. ... Franz Waxman (December 24, 1906, KÃ¶nigshÃ¼tte, Upper Silesia (now ChorzÃ³w, Poland) - February 24, 1967, Los Angeles, California), born Franz Wachsmann, was a German-born Jewish-American composer, known for his bravura Carmen Fantasy for violin and orchestra and for his musical scores for films. ... Carmen Fantasie (1946) is a virtuoso showpiece for violin and orchestra. ... Portrait of Vladimir Horowitz, captured from the documentary The Last Romantic. ... The fantasia (also English fantasy, German fantasie, French fantaisie) is a musical composition with its roots in the art of improvisation. ... Ferruccio Busoni Dante Michaelangelo Benvenuto Ferruccio Busoni (April 1, 1866 â€“ July 27, 1924) was an Italian composer, pianist, music teacher and conductor. ... It has been suggested that Suite_de_Danses be merged into this article or section. ...

Film

In 1915, Cecil B. DeMille directed a 59-minute silent film version of the opera. Cecil Blount DeMille (August 12, 1881 â€“ January 21, 1959) was one of the most successful filmmakers during the first half of the 20th century. ... A silent film is a film which has no accompanying soundtrack. ...

In the United States, it was adapted by Oscar Hammerstein II into an African-American setting as Carmen Jones, which was a success both as a stage production and in 1954 as a feature film. For work done with Richard Rodgers, see Rodgers and Hammerstein Oscar Hammerstein II (July 12, 1895 â€“ August 23, 1960) was a New-York born writer, producer, and (usually uncredited) director of musicals for almost forty years. ... An African American (also Afro-American or Black American) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to sub-saharan Africa. ... Carmen Jones was a 1943 Broadway musical, later also performed a 1954 musical film; the play also ran for a season in 1991 at Londons Old Vic. ...

In 1983, Carlos Saura made a dance film inspired by the opera, with flamenco dances choreographed by Antonio Gades Carlos Saura (born 4 January 1932, AtarÃ©s, Huesca) is a Spanish film director. ... Antonio Gades (November 14, 1936 - July 20, 2004) was a Spanish flamenco dancer and choreographer (born Antonio Esteve RÃ³denas in Alicante). ...

In 1983, Jean-Luc Godard directed another film version, Prénom Carmen. Jean-Luc Godard. ... PrÃ©nom Carmen is a 1984 film by Jean Luc Godard. ...

In 1984, a film version was produced. This motion picture stars Julia Migenes as Carmen and Plácido Domingo as Don José, with Lorin Maazel conducting the Orchestre National de France. The powerful cast and traditional direction made it popular with audiences. It was the first film version to use Bizet's spoken dialogues in place of the recitatives. The entire soundtrack was released on CD. Carmen is a 1984 film directed by Francesco Rosi. ... Julia Migenes (born March 13, 1949) is an American soprano. ... PlÃ¡cido Domingo PlÃ¡cido Domingo [1] (born January 21, 1941) [2] is a world-famous Spanish operatic tenor, well-known for his versatile, strong voice that is possessed of a ringing and clear tone throughout its range. ... Lorin Varencove Maazel (born March 6, 1930) is a conductor, violinist and composer. ... The Orchestre National de France is a symphony orchestra run by Radio France. ... Recitative, a form of composition often used in operas, oratorios, cantatas and similar works, is described as a melodic speech set to music, or a descriptive narrative song in which the music follows the words. ... CD may stand for: Compact Disc Canadian Forces Decoration Cash Dispenser (at least used in Japan) CD LPMud Driver Centrum-Demokraterne (Centre Democrats of Denmark) Certificate of Deposit ÄŒeskÃ© DrÃ¡hy (Czech Railways) Chad (NATO country code) Chalmers DatorfÃ¶rening (computer club of the Chalmers University of Technology) a 1960s...

MTV also made a version, Carmen: A Hip Hopera, starring Beyoncé Knowles as Carmen, in 2001. MTV (Music Television) is a cable television network headquartered in New York City. ... Cover of DVD Carmen: A Hip Hopera is an MTV production from 2001 starring Beyoncé Knowles, Mos Def, Rah Digga, Wyclef Jean, Mekhi Phifer, Da Brat, Joy Bryant, Jermaine Dupri and Lil Bow Wow, directed by Robert Townsend. ... BeyoncÃ© Giselle Knowles (born September 4, 1981) is a popular American R&B singer, songwriter, record producer, actress, and fashion designer. ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ...

A recent adaptation was U-Carmen e-Khayelitsha (2005), set in Khayelitsha, South Africa; and sung in Xhosa. The film received the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. U-Carmen e-Khayelitsha is a 2005 film directed by Mark Dornford-May. ... Khayelitsha a township - also known as an informal settlement - in South Africa, on the outskirts of Cape Town in the Cape Flats. ... The Xhosa people are a group of peoples of Bantu origins living in south-east South Africa. ... Binomial name Ursus arctos Linnaeus, 1758 The Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) is a species of bear that can reach weights of 130-700 kg (300 to 1500 pounds). ... One of the A festivals in Europe. ...

Another African adaptation Karmen Gei (2001), set in Dakar, Senegal was sung in French and Woluf. (City of Dakar, divided into 19 communes darrondissement) City proper (commune) RÃ©gion Dakar DÃ©partement Dakar Mayor Pape Diop (PDS) (since 2002) Area 82. ...

Other

Rodion Shchedrin wrote a Carmen ballet (1967) directly based on the opera. Rodion Konstantinovich Shchedrin (born December 16, 1932) is a Russian composer. ... The Waltz of the Snowflakes from Tchaikovskys The Nutcracker. ...

The British comedy television series the Two Ronnies did a Cockney adaptation of the opera called Tooting Carmen. Ronnie Corbett and Ronnie Barker The Two Ronnies was a British sketch show that aired on BBC One from 1971 to 1987. ... Cockneys are, in the present-day sense of the word, white working-class inhabitants of London. ...

As old as the subject it describes, is this parody: "Toreadori / Don't spit on the floor / Use the cuspidor / That's what it's for". A Chicago courtroom scene, mid 1910s. ...

Media

Toreador song. ... Software development stages Development stage terminology expresses how the development of a piece of software has progressed and how much further development it may require. ... Image File history File links Entracte_to_Act_III_from_Carmen. ... Software development stages Development stage terminology expresses how the development of a piece of software has progressed and how much further development it may require. ... Entracte is French for between the acts. It can have the meaning of a pause between two parts of a stage production, synonym to intermission, but is more often used to indicate that part of a theatre production that is performed between acts as an intermezzo or interlude. ... Image File history File links Entracte_to_Act_IV_from_Carmen. ... Software development stages Development stage terminology expresses how the development of a piece of software has progressed and how much further development it may require. ...

Notes

^ Tanner, pg 237
^ This is still record time to complete such a large orchestration project
^ ^a ^b Dean, Bizet, Georges
^ For instance, the Gypsy Song (No. 12), relies for effectiveness on strong rhythmic and melodic support from the orchestra, and is essentially unperformable otherwise, while parts of the famous Toréadors song later in Act II, cannot be heard clearly over the orchestra, even with a powerful bass singing Escamillo's part, if the conductor is careless. As can be seen, dedication of the performers overcomes any such criticism to which any large work is open.
^ including Leontyne Price who also overcame institutionalized racism along the way
^ Batta, pg 103
^ Better known as the composer of another habanera "La Paloma", written about 1860 shortly after a visit to Cuba, which was an extremely popular song in Spain, Latin America, and also the USA

Leontyne Price as Aida Permission of Metropolitan Opera Archives Mary Violet Leontyne Price (b. ...

Contents

History

Synopsis

Act I

Act II

Act III

Act IV

Dramatic elements

Musical elements

Revisions

Characters

Arias, duets, choruses etc.

Recordings

Adaptations

Fantasies

Film

Other

Media

Notes

References

External links

Contents

History GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Synopsis

Act I

Act II

Act III

Act IV

Dramatic elements

Musical elements

Revisions

Characters

Arias, duets, choruses etc.

Recordings

Adaptations

Fantasies

Film

Other

Media

Notes

References

External links

History